Ascending
by jmfossil
Summary: Closing his eyes, he tried to accept the finality of the green glow that shone before him.


_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the characters in the Harry Potter universe; they go to J.K. Rowling. And all Hogwarts Daily characters are owned by their respectful players._

**A/N: **This is primarily written a companion piece to _Fulgaraverde_. It's what happened before Adam and Emily's duel. This may be a little disjointed, unfocused, or just plain weird, but I like it. Just because the references I put in, I love. Enjoy.

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Ascending**

_I'll lift you and you lift me, and we'll both ascend together.  
-John Greenleaf Whittier_

"_Confringo!_"

The iron-bound door blasted apart, two white and black blurs speeding past, each figure struggling and battling for power. Beams of light were flying everywhere, yells and cackles sounding off the walls of the Hogwarts corridor. The hall was strewn with rubble, scars of battles of only hours earlier. Remnants of fires were dancing still, emitting dark smoke viciously, clouding visibility. There was an ear-splitting scream and the white blur crashed onto the marble floors, skidding along with great velocity.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

He missed it narrowly, the Killing Curse scorching the pristine marble only inches away from his face. He rolled off to the side and retaliated with a spell of his own. "_Everte Statum!_"

A jet of unyielding purple flew at the swooping black figure, causing it to be thrown off course upon impact, crashing into a mammoth pile of rock and wood. The figure, whoever it was, was buried totally under the debris, utterly unmoving.

Charlie got back onto his feet, his breathing uneven, his clothing torn, his face beaten. He eyed the pile warily, not even daring to wince at the profusely bleeding gash on his left shoulder. He could not even heal it at the risk of letting his guard down. One miniscule misstep and it was all over. Sweat collected at his brow, his teeth were clenched, his body tense.

For a moment, nothing could be heard except for the flickering of the remaining flames in the corridor. Slowly, Charlie approached the ravaged mound of rubble, wand aloft and poised to strike. A stone precariously balanced on the top fell from its perch and rolled down the rocky slope and instantly, the covered Death Eater emerged in a cloud of ominous jet black smoke with a dangerous green glow of the wand.

But Charlie was quicker. "_Lumos Solem!_"

A thick blast of sunlight exploded from the tip of Charlie's wand, the projected light washing away the smoke and magic of the Death Eater revealing a weakened Richard Stretton who collapsed to the floor at the force of Charlie's magic. He too showed the signs of a long battle fought, his fatigue evident in his eyes.

"_Incarcerous_," muttered Charlie, and Stretton was immediately bound by shining silver ropes, leaving him helpless on the ground.

A fierce look of disdain was painted on Stretton's face as he glared up at Charlie but amusement slowly washed over his injured features which eventually became absolute elation. Charlie was baffled as to why the captured Death Eater was laughing, yet he received an answer when an icy, vicious voice met his ears.

"Hello there, Weasley."

Charlie swung around to face the new arrival but he was blasted off his feet, high into the air, by a Green Lightning Curse. As the dragon keeper soared through the air, electricity surged through his body, green sparks crackling about him, not ceasing even when he crash landed on the floor once more. Paralyzed and too weak and drained to move, Charlie was rooted to the spot as Emily York loomed over him, a sadistic grin etched into her face.

"I should have known you'd be fighting, too," she said slyly. "You and the rest of your blood traitor family."

The bottom of her stiletto shoe found Charlie's cheek, the man flinching in pain. His small winces grew into out right screams as Emily dug the heel of her shoe into his skin. Moments of eternity passed and Charlie could taste the blood that was dribbling into his mouth from the pierced skin of his cheek. Emily screeched laughter.

"Hey, York!" yelled Stretton, struggling in his bindings a yard away. "Could you at least spare a second to untie me over here?"

"Mmm, no," answered Emily, devilishly playful. "I'm enjoying myself far too much here." As she spoke, she drove her stiletto heel deeper into Charlie's skin, his yelps of pain becoming pitiful, tears beginning to stream down his face.

But even if there were almost three inches of patent leather into his mouth, Charlie attempted to speak. Only to no avail. His entire body was paralyzed by Emily's curse, frozen in place. He feared that his final sight was going to be the soulless, wretched, psychopathic shell of Emily York. Closing his eyes, he tried to accept the finality of the green glow that shone before him.

A flash of green, a flash of white, and then he felt the same. Was this death? Was that wind blowing through his hair? Was this his ascension into another world? Charlie didn't dare answer anymore. In a few fleeting seconds, he accepted everything, even the strong, warm arms that cradled him, that brought him back onto his feet, that lifted the spell from him.

Charlie opened his eyes and he was still in the corridor, but Emily and Stretton were nowhere to be found. Instead, standing right in front of him was Adam, eyes caring, speech kind. His hands cupped Charlie's face, one stroking around the wound Emily inflicted.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "How much does it hurt?"

"Not loads," replied Charlie. "I reckon had she gone any further, she would have pierced my cheek."

Silently, Adam placed the tip of his wand on Charlie's cut and muttered, "_Episkey_." The gash sewed itself to a close without a scar, leaving only the trail of blood that lead to Charlie's lips. Adam wiped away the blood with the back of his sleeve.

"Thanks for that," Charlie said, Adam nodding his head. "Where'd they go?"

Adam started to make a run for the Great Hall downstairs. "The Great Hall, they've found--"

"Let me come with you." Charlie grabbed Adam's wrist, pulling him back. "This entire floor is evacuated. No one's in here. Let me help."

Hesitantly, Adam placed his hand on Charlie's and shoved it away. "Then help Kingsley and Tonks evacuate the upper floors. Dumbledore said he only needs me and Ty for the Lovers'--"

Out of the blue, Charlie hugged Adam. "Be careful. Oh Merlin, Adam, please be careful."

"…Thank you. You, too."

Charlie watched Adam descend a flight of stairs, down to the Great Hall. After an entire minute, Charlie was able to pull himself away and go up a staircase. On each step he took, Charlie only had could only question: Was this his death? Was that wind blowing through his hair? Was that his descent into another world? Because Charlie feared that Adam's final sight was going to be the soulless, wretched, psychopathic shell of Emily York.

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**A/N:** Comments, feedback, reviews, _**constructive**_ (I cannot emphasize that enough) criticism... anything is appreciated. Thank you.


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